Alan Peaford
A taste of Alaska was brought to Farnborough last night as Boeing rolled out the Next-Generation 737-900. A satellite link was set up so Farnborough-based guests could watch the live event 7,700km (4,800 miles) away in Seattle as they sipped cocktails at London's Dorchester hotel.
The 737-900 is the newest Boeing Commercial Airplane model, the longest Boeing 737 ever produced and the largest airplane in Alaska Airlines' fleet. This is the first time a Seattle-based airline has launched a new Boeing model.
The aircraft was led out of the factory by a dog sled team to the cheers of thousands of Boeing and Alaska employees attending the celebration who saw performances by a Russian dance troupe from Sitka, Alaska; Inupiat Eskimo dancers/blanket tossers from Kotzebue, Alaska, as well as a stilt walker in an 1890s Alaska Gold Rush period costume.
"This is the first time we have ever done anything quite like this," said Boeing's Commercial Airplanes president, Alan Mulally as he welcomed guests to the London hotel.
The 737-900 is a short-to-medium range twinjet. And is the fourth member of the Next-Generation 737 commercial passenger airplane family. It was launched in November 1997, with an order from Alaska Airlines for 10 aircraft. Other customers include Continental Airlines, Korean Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
The aircraft is 2.6 metres (8 ft 8 in) longer than the Next-Generation 737-800 and carries up to 177 passengers in a two-class configuration, 15 more than the 737-800. It carries up to 189 passengers in one-class configuration. Boeing is confident the new member of the family has the lowest seat-mile operating costs of any of the Next-Generation 737 models or any of the Airbus A320 series models. It has the most fuel efficient single-aisle twinjet on the market today, capable of cruising to a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet (12,500m), compared to 37,000 feet for the 737-300/-400/-500 models and 39,000 feet for the Airbus A320 series, says Boeing.
Source: Flight Daily News
